While Government Communications are taken up with Al Jazeera….
Published:
March 18, 2011 at 2:24pm
…..the Malta Tourism Authority offices in London, probably having to handle a slew of cancellations by now, has stepped into the information breach and valiantly emailed British newsrooms.
The Guardian’s online edition reports that it has received the following message from the MTA:
Please be aware that there are NO British military bases in Malta, emails the Malta Tourism Authority. Two news sources – Sky News and Metro, have erroneously stated that British military bases in Malta could be a possible target for Libyan counter attacks. Please be aware that this is false and that Malta has no British military bases and is not a target.
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Why the MTA and not the OPM?
It’s ridiculous that the Malta High Commission let the MTA issue the statement rather than do it itself. It makes Malta look unprofessional. No wonder The Guardian correspondent opens with “on a lighter note”. He must have chuckled as he read the statement.
It’s fitting that it was the MTA to issue the statement because money – and tourism means money – seems to the only thing of concern to Malta at the moment. They only want to make sure that we don’t lose any tourists (Malta stands to gain, he said).
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The statement is also over-optimistic in saying that malta is not a target when Gaddafi has made it clear that everywhere and everyone is a target. he’s a terrorist after all so this is right up his street.
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I’m desperately hoping that the dozen or so commenters who infest the websites of The Times and MaltaToday do not represent the true sentiments of the Maltese.
It should have been Joseph Muscat who issued this statement. After all, he promised he would use the situation in the Maghreb to attract more tourists to Malta. The news in Britain about military bases here was clearly against his advertising campaign, so he should clarify.